US offers cash rewards for capture of African Islamic militants

US offers cash rewards for capture of African Islamic militants

The US is offering cash rewards for Islamic militants in West and North Africa as a part of the Rewards for Justice program.

The United States is offering cash rewards for information on Islamic militants in Africa.

The bounty is part of the State Department's Rewards for Justice program that pays out millions for information that leads to the capture of terrorists.

"For the first time, the US Department of State's Rewards for Justice program is offering rewards for information on key leaders of terrorist organizations in West Africa," the program said in a statement, according to Reuters.

The Rewards for Justice program has already been used for leaders of Al Qaeda and militant organizations like Hezbollah.

The largest reward for a West or North African militant, $7 million, is offered for Abubakar Shekau, leader of Nigeria's Boko Haram, a militant group that targets Christians.

There is mounting concern that Boko Haram is linking with other Islamic terrorist groups in the region said the BBC.